Rotary engine.



Patented Sept. 3, |90l. A. KITCHEN.

ROTARY ENGINE.

(Application led Jan. 31, 1900.,

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

IIIII m le.

l I I I Inv/Zuton W f W172i w @da Patehted Sept. 3, 190|.

No. 6a|,919.

- A. KITCHEN.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(N Mndel.)`

6, Inv/n tor.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED KITCHEN, OF DUNNVILLE, CANADA.

ROTARY ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 681,919, datedSeptember 3, 1901. Application tiled January 31,1900. Serial No. 3,492.(No model.)

To a/ZZ whom, t 11i/tty concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED KITCHEN, carpet-manufacturer,of the villageof Dunnville, in the county of Haldimand,` in the Province of Ontario,Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in RotaryEngines,of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in rotary engines; and the objectof the invention is to devise a simple, compact, and steamtight rotaryengine in which, first, the power may be transmitted directly from theperiphery of the engine; secondly, in which the steam may be introducedinto the interior of the engine at a point where there is no danger ofcondensation while passing through the engine, and, thirdly, in whichthe strain on the bearings of the rotating portion may be reduced to aminimum; and it consists, essentially, of a stationary hollow shaft,both the inlet and exhaust ports of which lead to the inlet and exhaustports in a solid cylinder, such cylinder being eccentric to the axis ofthe hollow shaft and being surrounded by a rotatable cylinder, forming acrescent-shaped chamber between it and the stationary cylinder, suchrotating cylinder carrying wings, which are caused to follow theperiphery oi the eccentrically-placed solid cylinder by means ofsuitable eccentrics on the shaft to which they are connected, and thelatter cylinder having connected to it a suitable peripheral casing,which is supported at the ends on suitable bearings on the shaft and isdesigned to rotate with it, the parts being arranged and constructed indetail as hereinafter more particularly explained.

Figure l is a cross-section of my improved rotary engine. Fig. 2 is alongitudinal section. Fig. 3 is a detail of the governor in the formshown in Figs. l and 2. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of a compoundor doublecylinder form. Fig. 5 is a detail of the reversing-plug used inthe compound form. Fig. 6 is a plan view looking from below of thecenter solid cylinder used in the reversing form, showing the positionof they ports in the solid cylinder and in dotted lines the position ofthe inlet passage-ways leading to such ports.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate correspondingparts in each gure.

A A' are the standards.

B and B' are the hollow portions of the divided shaft, which aresuitably keyed, as indicated, in the standards, so as to prevent themfrom rotating and have attached to or forming part of them at the innerend the solid cylinder B2, which is, as will be seen, eccentric to theshaft. v

b and b are the exhaust and inlet pipes, which lead through the hollowportions B and B to the interior of `the cylinder B2 near its center, asindicated.4 The pipes b and h are surrounded by suitable packing 2, madeof mineral wool, asbestos, or other suitable heat-non-conductingmaterial.

C is the inlet-port, and 3 the exhaust-port, (shown in full lines inFig. 1 and in light and dark dotted lines, respectively, in Fig. 2,)such ports being connected to the inlet-pipe ZJ and exhaust-pipe b,respectively.

D is the rotating casing, which, it will be noticed on reference to Fig.1, is concentric to the shaft, but eccentric to the cylinder B2,

`thereby forming a crescent-shaped chamber.

Such cylinder is provided with the sides D' and D2, which abut oroverlap the cylinder B2 and are rendered steam-tight at such point bythe packing-rings d' and cl2.

D3 is the outer casing, attached to or forming part of the innercylindrical casing D and provided with the recesses d, having suitablecaps d3. The casing D3 is also provided with peripheral lugs d4, uponwhich is suitably secured by lugs d5 the peripheral pulley ordriving-ring D4. A,

D5 and D6 are the ends of the casing D8, which are suitably secured tothe same by the bolts d6 and are provided with hubs 0X7, which aresupported on the bearings d8, secured to the standard.

E indicates the radial pistons, which extend through slots f in thecrossplugs F, which have the end packing-disks f at the end resting inrecesses f2 in the sides D of the casing D.

f3 is suitable packing on each side of the plugs F.

Gr is a packing-dog extending across the periphery of the cylinder B2 atthe point of contact with the interior of the cylinder D.

The win gs E are provided with lateral projections E', which areconnected by the rods ICO e to the eccentric rings e', which aredesigned to rotate on the stationary eccentric e2. The outer eccentrice2 in each case extends into the end D6 and is provided with a suitablering 4.

The form of engine so far described and shown is an engine designed torotate in the bue way only, and in order to regulate its speed I providein a cylindrical chamber C', intermediate of the length of the port C,the rocking valve C2. The position of this valve C2 is regulated by thegovernor, which consists of the plate I-I, secured to the end D6, thepivoted Weight h, connected by the spring h' to a hook h2 on an offseth3 of the plate H, and the rod h4, connected by the link h5 to the armh6, attached to or forming part ot' the eccentric k7, which is providedwith a stationary strap ha, connected by the link 7i to the spindle c ofthe valve C2. rIhe operation of this governor is merely that the Weight7L is thrown outwardly when the centrifugal force increases, andconsequently pulls upon the eccentric h?, throwing the strap hs fartherfrom the center at the point Where the link li is connected, thusturning the valve C2011 its pivot, so as to close or partially close theport C. This of course depends, as in ordinary governors, upon the speedof the engine as to how lnnch ot' the port is closed.

The operation of my invention is very simple, as the steam entersthrough the pipe h and port C, thereby carrying around the pistons E,which are controlled by the eccentric e, so as to followr the peripheryof the eccentrically-placed solid cylinder and carry With them the outercylinder D, the steam of course exhausting through the exhaust-port 3.

In Figs. 4, 5, and 6 I show a compound or double-cylinder engine; but itwill of course be yunderstood that I might have a triple or multipleexpansion engine adopting the same principle as I shall now describe inreference to these figures. The cylinder B2 in these latter figures isformed in two portions B3 and B", and the crescent-shaped chambers areseparated by a ring B5, having suitable packing b2 abutting the ring B5,so as to keep the space between the chamber steam-tight.

I form a tapered hole B7 in the portions B3 and B4 and provide a taperedplug I to iit the same, which has an extension pipe or tube b3 extendingthrough the packing 2. This pipe has a shoulder 4. The ring 5, providedwith a handle 6, has an external thread which fits into a correspondingrecess in the standard. A ring 7, provided with a handle 8, is keyed tothe pipe and abuts the ring 5. The pipe 'b3 is capable of being turnedand is provided esi,9i9

an inlet-port 13, extending into the'passage- Way Ba, and a port Bd,connected by a serpentine groove Be to the controlling-port Bf, which isin the path of the ports in the cylinder. A port Bg is provided at theopposite end of the plug, which is vopposite the inlet and exhaust portsC and 3 in the portion B". This plug is specially designed to form areversing plug, and consequently is provided With a duplicate of theportions Bc, Bd, Be, Bf, and Bg, the only dierence being that theportions Bd, BC, and Br are reversely formed on the side of the plug,Whichis not shown in Fig. 5, but which is indicated in Fig. 6, theportions shown in Fig. 5 being indicated by heavy dotted lines and theportion not shown by light dotted lines. The steam is introduced throughthe port BC and passes around through the port C (Which in this instancewould have no valve O2) and around the crescent-shaped chamber, carryingwith it the Wings and outer casing to the exhaustport 3, from which itpasses back into the plug I into the port Bd, thence by the passage-WayBf into the inlet-port C of the portion B4, where it passes around thecrescentshaped chamber again and out through the exhaust-port 3 into thepassage-Way Bg op-v posite the exhaust, whence it is carried out fromthe plug I. To reverse, the corresponding ports formed on the plug areturned opposite the inlet-ports. In order to turn the plug, however, toreverse, it is simply necessary to loosen the ring5 by turning thehandle 6, When the handle 8 may be manipulated so as to turn the plug,when the said ports may be restored to their normal position, so as topush the plug home again and hold it rigid.

From the construction I have described it will readily be seen that Ican form with equal facility a simple or compound engine and can reversesuch engine Whether coinpound, triple, or multiple expansion. The steamis introduced into the engine at a point where it is not likely tobe'condensed, which is a decided advantage, and it also expands Within aheated cylinder, thereby economizing the steam. Extra pulleys andstandards' are dispensed with as the power is transmitted from theperiphery of the cylinder. In applying the power by a belt of course thedirection of the pull of the belt Would be from the wide side of thecrescent-shaped chamber, thereby reducing to a minimum the strain on thebearings, as of course the greatest pressure is exerted by the steam atthe largest point of the crescent-shaped chamber. It will also be seenthat my engine is perfectly steam-tight and that should any steam escapefrom the crescent-shaped chamber it can only escape into the outer'casing and the steam-cylinder and will only serve to keep the interiorportion hot, but cannot escape completely and be Wasted.

In Fig. 4 I show instead of the ball-bearing shown in Fig. 1 anotherform of bearing,

IGC

IIO

which it is not necessary here to describe, as there are many forms ofbearing which may be adapted to form the bearings of my engine.

What I claim as my invention is 1. In a rotary engine, the combinationwith the main stationary shaft and the solid cylindrical eccentricportions of the concentric casings having the concentric side platesoverlapping the ends of the solid cylindrical portion and theintermediate concentric portion or plate attached to the concentriccasing and fitting into a' corresponding recess formed between theeccentric solid cylindrical portion as specified and a suitable portleading through the solid lcylindrical portion and forming acommunicating passage-way between the chambers as specified.

2. In a rotary engine, the combination with the main stationary shaftand the solid cylindrical eccentric portions of the concentricportions,.of the concentric casings having the concentric side platesoverlapping the ends of the solid cylindrical portion, suitableringpacking between the concentric casings and the solid cylindricalportion, the intermediate concentric ring or plate attached to theconcentric casings and fitting into a corresponding recess formedbetween the eccentric solid cylindrical portions and suitablepacking-rings in the solid cylindrical portions abutting suchintermediate ring on each side and a suitable port leading through thesolid cylindrical portion and forming a communieating passage-waybetween the chambers as specied.

3. In a rotary engine, the combination with the main stationary shaftand the solid cylinder attached to or forming part of same locatedintermediate of its length, of the inlet and exhaust passage-waysextending through the shaft, the radial inlet vand exhaust portsextending therefrom to the periphery of the solid cylinder, the rotatingcylinder concentric to the shaft and forming a crescentshapedsteam-chamber supported on suitable bearings and the radial pistonssuitably held in the cylinder and provided with lateral offsets outsidethe cylinder, the stationary eccentric secured to the stationary shaftand the eccentric rotatable straps and rods connected to the offsets ofthe radial pistons as and for the purpose specied.

4. In a rotary engine, the combination with the main stationary shaftand the solid cylinder attached to or forming part of saine locatedintermediate of its length and eccentric thereto, of the inlet and.,exhaust passageways extending through the shaft, -the radial inlet andexhaust ports extending therefrom to the periphery of the solidcylinder, the rotatable cylinder concentric to the shaft forming acrescent-shaped steam-chamber and supported on suitable bearings and theradial pistons suitably held in the cylinder, means for imparting arotary movement thereto to follow the periphery of the solid cylinder intheir rotation, the valve-chamber and cut-off valve located thereinintermediate of the length of the inlet-port, the eccentric on thestationary shaft, the strap surrounding the same and connected by linkto the stem of the valve, the arm connected to the eccentric, theweighted arm and rod and link connected to the aforesaid arm and theplate secured to the rotatable casing on which the said weighted arm ispivoted and the spring connecting the weighted arm to said plate allarranged as shown and for the purpose specified.

5. In a rotary engine, the combination with the main stationary shaftand the solid cylinder attached to or forming part of same locatedintermediate of its length, of the inlet and exhaust passage-waysextending through the shaft, the radial and inlet exhaust-portsextending therefrom to the periphery of the solid cylinder, the taperedhole extending through the solid cylinder, the tapered plug fittingtherein and connecting with the inlet and exhaust passage-ways extendingthrough the shaft, the port Bc, the port B, the port Be and port Bf andport IBg designed to coact with the inlet and exhaust port-s extendingthrough the portions of the cylinder, the rotatable cylinder concentricto the shaft, the division-ring situated between the two ends of thecylinder and forming two crescentshaped steam-chambers, the radialpistons and means for imparting a radial movement thereto to follow theperiphery of the solid cylinder in their rotation as and for the purposespecified. Y

6. In a rotary engine, the combination with the main stationary shaftand the solid cylinder attached to or forming part of same locatedintermediate of its length, of the inlet and exhaust passage-waysextending through the shaft, the radial and inlet exhaust-portsextending therefrom to the periphery of the solid cylinder, the taperedhole extending' and exhaust passage-ways extending throughy the shaft,the port Bc, the port Bd, the port B, and port Bf and port Bg designedto coact with the inlet and exhaust ports extending through the twoportions of the double cylinder, the rotatable cylinder concentric tothe shaft, the division-ring situated between the two ends of thecylinder and forming two crescent-shaped steam-chambers, the radialwings, means for imparting a radial movement thereto to follow theperiphery of the solid cylinder in their rotation, the pipe extension ofthe shaft, the shoulder thereon, the threaded collar tting against theshoulder and provided with a handle and the coacting collar fittingagainst the aforesaid collar and also provided with a handle for adjustment as and for the purpose specified.

7. In a rotary engine, the combination with IOO IIO

the eccentric inner portion of the casing and are made to follow theperiphery of the eothe concentric outer portion forming a. crescentricinner portion as and for the purpose cent-shaped steam-chamber, of thepistons, specified.

the stationary eccentrics on the shaft, the ALFRED KITCHEN. v 5' strapssurrounding the eccentrics and the Witnesses:

rods connecting them to the ends of the pis- B. BOYD,

tons whereby such pistons in their rotation Y L. TRIMBLE.

